Change is coming to PvP gear in the relatively near future, and we wanted to provide a not-so-brief update on the improvements we’re planning, while pulling the curtain aside a bit so you can see the thought processes that motivated the coming changes. We also thought this would also be a great time to get the World of Warcraft PvP community involved in the discussion.

The Challenges
There are a few main issues that we’re working to address within the next couple of patches:

Early Advantage
Currently, it’s very common for players that have a head start at the start of the season to earn the best gear quickly and gain a dominating position on the ladder with a very high Match Making Rating (MMR). It’s then pretty common for those players to only participate on the ladder in a minimal way before reaping their rewards at the very end of the season. That’s not particularly good for competition, and we don’t think that it’s a very fun way for a competitive ladder to work. We would like to see the ladder remain active, and for high ranking players to earn their positions throughout the season, instead of just blitzing early and camping a spot above a certain threshold.

Mid-season Start
Players getting into PvP mid-season face a very significant challenge to gear up and become competitive because players that started earlier in the season are so far ahead in terms of gear. We want to make it more reasonable for a player to join in on organized PvP mid-season, while still rewarding the commitment of players that have remained invested in PvP throughout the season.

Rating Requirements
The current rating requirements on PvP gear create an artificially sharp division between players over 2200 rating and those below that rating threshold, which is unduly difficult to cross. We’d prefer that teams progress up the ladder on a curve against gradually more difficult opponents, instead of running into a wall at a certain rating.

Gear Advantage
Over time, the gap in power between Honor and Conquest PvP items has widened. This happened, in part, because it’s necessary for us to preserve the balance in power between PvP and PvE gear so that one doesn’t become the most obvious path to victory for the other. Right now, there are four tiers of PvE items, but only two tiers of PvP items. To keep Honor items from being the best choice for entry into PvE, they needed to have a lower item level than equivalent Raid Finder items. At the same time, Conquest gear still needs to be better for PvP than Heroic raid items, which puts it way over on the opposite end of the power scale from its Honor counterpart. While there are items that bridge the gap between Raid Finder and Heroic Raid loot, there really haven’t been any PvP items to bridge the gap between Honor and Conquest gear. We plan to solve that problem by introducing new tiers of PvP items, changing which currencies it takes to buy items and when, and by making PvP weapons more readily available in general.

Flexibility
While the item upgrade system has the benefit of allowing players that have “finished” their PvP set to continue to progress their character’s power, because there’s built-in pressure to continue upgrading their main set, it also means that players don’t always feel comfortable spending those points on alternate sets of gear for different specs (though it’s worth mentioning that the upgrade system will be disabled for patch 5.2). We’d like to make it easier for players in this position to experiment with alternate specs and stats.

Moving Forward
Meeting these challenges will mean that some changes are coming to MMR, PvP gear, and how gear is earned and paid for:

Team Rating Inflation
As we’ve mentioned previously, we want to see the ladder rankings decided toward the end of a season, and not a foregone conclusion dictated by what happens at the start. As discussed in the PvP in Mists of Pandaria Dev Watercooler, as of patch 5.2 Team Rating will gradually increase as players participate in PvP over the course of the season. We expect the new system to help ensure that the ladder remains active at all ratings and that the competition stays fierce from start to finish.

Gear Changes
To accomplish the goals of making PvP more accessible and less punishing, gearing more consistent and flexible, and flattening the power curve out over the course of a season, there are some significant changes in the works:

Tyrannical Gladiator’s gear can be purchased for Honor after 27000 Conquest Points are earned for the season. (5.3)

Elite Tyrannical Gladiator’s gear can only be purchased with Conquest Points after 27,000 Conquest Points have been earned for the season. (5.2)

The 2200 rating requirements on gear will be removed in patch 5.2, and when that happens, the only barrier to acquiring top of the line Elite gear will be the 27,000 Conquest Point seasonal currency requirement. While highly rated players will still earn gear more quickly, there won’t be an invisible wall to progression at 2200 rating.

As of patch 5.3, patches that don’t include the start of a new season will offer players the opportunity to purchase Conquest Point weapons without first meeting the seasonal currency requirement for them. We’re relaxing these restrictions because, by the mid-point of the season, the restriction has served its purpose and is no longer necessary. It’s worth noting here that the 27,000 Conquest Points earned requirement must always be met to buy Elite armor and weapons in every season.

In terms of relative power, we’re tuning the item levels, PvP Power, and Resilience on the new set of PvP items so that the difference between Malevolent and Elite Tyrannical Gladiator’s gear is similar to the relationship between this season’s Dreadful and Malevolent Gladiator’s gear. This helps accomplish the goal of smoothing out the power curve by adding a tier in the middle of the PvP gear spectrum. Also, to add choices and flexibility, once the seasonal currency requirement is met, players will have the option to purchase Tyrannical pieces for Honor, which should allow players to more easily experiment with alternate stat loadouts and specs.

Mid-Season Catch Up
Players who are starting their journey into PvP mid-season start significantly behind the gearing curve. While we want to avoid invalidating the effort of players that have competed for the whole season, we agree with the feedback we’ve received that the starting gap is too large, so a new Conquest Point catch-up cap will be implemented using the following formula:

Player A is starting PvP for the first time in week 10 of the season, and hasn’t earned any Conquest Points at all that season. He will have an additional cap of 10,000 points added to his normal weekly rating based cap.

Player B has already earned 5,000 Conquest Points by week 10, so she would have an additional cap of 5,000 points added to her normal weekly rating based cap.

Player C has been playing all season long, and has earned more than 10,000 Conquest Points by week 10. He only has the normal weekly cap to work with (but should already be on their way to being well geared).

If a player “redeems” their catch up cap by earning all those points, then they’ll begin the next week at their normal weekly rating based cap. Should they miss more weeks, then the catch up cap accrues again.

So, to sum up the planned changes for Patch 5.2:

Rating requirements will be removed from PvP gear.

Malevolent Gladiator’s gear, including weapons, will be available for purchase with Honor Points.

A new tier of Conquest Point gear will be added that becomes available once 27000 Conquest Points have been earned for the season.

Team Rating will gradually increase during the season for teams and players that continue to compete in PvP. This system is explained in the Mists of Pandaria PvP Dev Watercooler.

And here are the specific changes that are planned to hit in Patch 5.3:

In patches that don’t include a new season (including patch 5.3), the seasonal currency requirement of 27,000 Conquest Points earned will be lifted from weapons. The seasonal currency requirement must always be met to purchase Elite items, though.

Once the seasonal currency requirement is met, players will be able to purchase Tyrannical Gladiator’s gear with Honor Points.

The Conquest Point catch up cap will be introduced.

Conclusions
Overall, we expect that these changes will create a more active and competitive PvP environment, narrow the gear gap between the highest rated players and those still working their way up the ladder, and open the door for more experimentation in terms of class or spec.
We look forward to hearing your opinions and feedback on these upcoming changes!

WoW has a shit community, and the hardcore PVP community is easily the worst of it. I couldn't be happier to see a change like this pushed that will make them piss and moan and cry and threaten to leave their basements.

Blizzard removed pvp goal, and now pvp is about farming conquest points during 6 months. I agree that elite weapons were a bad reward that created a wall, but every raid below 2200 rating wished to arrive at 2200 rating, even if it was impossible for them. Without any goal there's no reason to go. Even the uninteresting challenge modes has some kind of reward to go for.

I can't be the first, I'm realistic, but I can complete the content, I'm optimistic. To reach the end is always my purpose. But now, PvP has no end, it's a pointless neverending race that we can't win.

The 2200 goal was good, the elite weapon reward was bad. Just replace the reward for another one, a good one.

Blizzard removed pvp goal, and now pvp is about farming conquest points during 6 months. I agree that elite weapons were a bad reward that created a wall, but every raid below 2200 rating wished to arrive at 2200 rating, even if it was impossible for them. Without any goal there's no reason to go. Even the uninteresting challenge modes has some kind of reward to go for.

I can't be the first, I'm realistic, but I can complete the content, I'm optimistic. To reach the end is always my purpose. But now, PvP has no end, it's a pointless neverending race that we can't win.

The 2200 goal was good, the elite weapon reward was bad. Just replace the reward for another one, a good one.

i kind of agree with Zoros here, pvp will be a farm. But isnt that what it has always been? farm for honor gear, then for conquest gear, and then for rating. For myself I feel this change will be great, allowing players like myself to reach high in arenas. I play 5 different characters, had 7 I played in cata. Now I dont have to wurry about being behind on gear farm, and can focus on rating. Being stuck on 1900 mmr on 3-4 chars cus I'm so far behind on gear and always meeting full t2 warriors, mages, hunters or locks which recks us.

A goal doesnt have to be a chase for a reward such as the 2.2k weapon. My goal has been to reach high arena rating, to be better than most others with several classes no matter what virtual reward i get. I cant play 1 character on days end without having a go at my other characters, I like variety. And now with these changes I see myself playing competivately on my alts aswell, running certain setups with the guys I find fun playing with.

I like this change but im afraid random bg botting might get out of the hand since all you need for elite gear is conquest points. Good thing is that I can play my favorite bracket 2v2 and still get t2 weapon. Blizzard rules

Well this is all true but removing the 2200 RE-colors is a mistake despite I don't have it myself I do welcome seeing people have them even if some of them bought it *giggle*

Agreed. The 2200+ should have either recolor or a 'hardmode' like cosmetic only set.
I myself would never get to even pretend to get close to them...but I think there should be some kind of reward for the people that do

---------- Post added 2013-01-18 at 12:46 PM ----------

And as soon as the patch goes live the amount of low lvl campers triple =P

This just seems like a move to prevent what they deep down know what they SHOULD do - which is go to a GW2 PVP gear system where it's 100% skill.

The vast majority of players want to progress their characters in pvp and pve. Plus even when all gear is the same the classes and more important the abilities still have to be balanced so it's not always 100 % balanced anyways.

The real question now is - how will this effect PVE since 4 sets of PVP gear vs 3 of PVE gear. Specially when it comes to weapons. Blizzard can not put PVE weapons on last boss like they used to do. Then getting the PVP weapon is the only way for so many and PVE becomes worthless.

i kind of agree with Zoros here, pvp will be a farm. But isnt that what it has always been? farm for honor gear, then for conquest gear, and then for rating. For myself I feel this change will be great, allowing players like myself to reach high in arenas. I play 5 different characters, had 7 I played in cata. Now I dont have to wurry about being behind on gear farm, and can focus on rating. Being stuck on 1900 mmr on 3-4 chars cus I'm so far behind on gear and always meeting full t2 warriors, mages, hunters or locks which recks us.

A goal doesnt have to be a chase for a reward such as the 2.2k weapon. My goal has been to reach high arena rating, to be better than most others with several classes no matter what virtual reward i get. I cant play 1 character on days end without having a go at my other characters, I like variety. And now with these changes I see myself playing competivately on my alts aswell, running certain setups with the guys I find fun playing with.

The danger with this system is that it will only turn into grinding - leading to more danger of afkers and bots. When a game considers the only thing needed to get gear is to push 1 button to Q up... and get gear - then something has failed.

How many guilds try to get the first world kill? Less than 1%
How many players at the beggining of expansion try to be first lvl max? Less than 1%

Players are realistic and prefer human goals. 2200 rating was a challenging goal with a good reward feeling for an important amount of players. The highest rating is something that only a minimal amount of players care about.

Why atempt to raise the rating? If Blizzard don't make me feel unhappy with rewards at higher rating than mine, I'm happy where I am. In other words, PvP will be farming. Each week cap your conquest points and that's all. No goals and at the end, boring as doing daylis.

The vast majority of players want to progress their characters in pvp and pve. Plus even when all gear is the same the classes and more important the abilities still have to be balanced so it's not always 100 % balanced anyways.

Nothing will ever be 100% balanced, it would be a huge leap in that direction though

They should not give elite gear to 2200 players anymore. Reverting the change would be a bad idea. I'll break it down.

1.) The people actually complaining about are very few in number, there's really nothing to worry about from them crying endlessly.
2.) Giving elite gear to everyone encourages more people in general to participate.You remove the carrot on a stick from mediocre players and give a carrot on a stick to nearly every PvP player. This = success.
3.) From a business standpoint, it's a sound idea. More people like I said will be intrigued and subs will increase because of it. Also, having more options to choose from color variations will help reduce boredom and increase variety.
4.) 2200 players aren't really good. They are mediocre. If anything put a cosmetic tabard and give it to 2400, 2500, and 2600 players. Those players truly deserve it. 2200 is honestly nothing impressive, from the view of a player who's been much higher in the past.
5.) It helps kill the boosting/carry business. People will no longer have an incentive to buy T2 weapons OR special snowflake gear anymore, this can only be good for the community. It will help increase competition and people looking to get the 2200 ratings simply to prove they are good, not to chase some carrot on a stick.
6.) It will help remove the toxic tryhards who can only brag about their snowflake gear and are too bad to get any other cosmetic reward. It will reduce elitism and general hostility that's prevalent in the PVP community today. The top, top players I've actually talked to or read a post from DO NOT CARE about this. They simply do not, because the challenge is all that's needed for them and they do not need to feel special, because they realize it's absolutely pathetic.

All in all, it's an excellent change and one I have no doubt Blizzard considered and planned through. This change can ONLY be good for the PvP community as a whole. If you do not support this, frankly, you are being a selfish brat and only caring about stroking your ego instead of realizing the big picture.

The problem with the removal of the rating requirement for Elite gear is that now the only reward is the rating itself which doesn't do anything for you in game and there will be a drop off of people playing/people playing less because there's nothing for them to work for and get out of it. There needs to be some type of in game reward for hitting 2.2k, possible rewards:

Title that is only available while at that rating (similar to the one from BWD achieve)
Special mount that is only usable while at that rating (must be usable in non-flying areas; similar to the way the halloween broom mount works)
Transmog set that looks different from current PVP/PVE tier gear (not just a recolor; similar to challenge mode rewards or even use the same rewards)

But I agree that it shouldn't be a stat booster that gives you an advantage over others. The only advantage you should have that matters is skill.

The rest of the changes look like really good improvements for everyone.